The hunter

Chapter 10

I awoke to the van door sliding open and I bolted awake startled to see Tyler smirk “come on princess let’s get you into bed”, “Tyler reign in the macho bullshit, my niece is tired so do me a favour and give over”. Clearly I wasn’t the only one who had fallen asleep as Akechetah’s cheek was resting against my face clearly as comfortable as I was. Hearing Josh’s voice with a slight air of annoyance at Tyler clearly still pissed where he was kicked awake “Yeah, man reign it in we’ve had a long night, Scott do you want me to carry her upstairs, the bags can be bought up later”. “ sounds like a plan she can stay in my room tonight, I can sleep in my chair, afterall she’s been through I think sleep will be the best thing for her”. I was about to speak up on my behalf but the lure of more sleep was just to tempting that my eyes where willing closing themselves, feeling myself being lifted up I did not care at this moment and time and just sucame to sleep.

Waking up, I found that I was so comfortable that I tried to fight opening my eyes, as I was that school child that did not want to wake for school I pulled the duvet over my head. “Wakey, wakey sleeping beauty” as the duvet was being pulled down I groaned trying to fight having to get up.

It was useless and as the duvet was pulled back I could see my uncle Scott’s eyes which held a bemused look. “ If you get up then you can see your room, Josh stayed up and helped me get it all set up for you even clothes are put away accept the um, undergarments” I couldn’t help but laugh by how uncomfortable he became having to mention my underwear. “ Thanks that is so kind of you but you didn’t have to” stretching out realising how useless it was to try and go back to sleep, I righted myself and pulled myself out of bed still in my clothes from last night. The smell radiating from the blood splatter was not pleasant and I realised I hadn’t washed my face, instantly putting my hands up all I could feel was smooth skin “ Ha ha, washed your face for you child so you are all good” letting out a sigh of relief I finally got myself fully out of bed spotted my new rocks and made a bee line for them. Grabbing them we both headed to the door and made our way out into the corridor and went to my door Scott waved the key in front of me, yeah that would help I should have known he would have taken the key how else would he have got my room all sorted out I am such a numpty. Taking the key from him I then proceeded to unlock my door and I couldn’t believe the difference they had made. It was no longer an empty shell the purple bedding really bought out the dark mahogany stained window cills and furniture touched of with a dark purple lampshade. The towels where an emerald green and where hung up on the radiator and looked maticulous clearly Josh was the reason for it. No disrespect to my Uncle but the wa his towels where jus dumped on the floor he was definitely not the one that hung them up.

“Oh my god it’s amazing, thank you” and I hugged him tightly and he squeezed me back and kissed my head “don’t mention it what is family for, but before you go and shower him or me and get Tara to check you over” rolling my eyes he only discovered yesterday I existed and he already became a natural concerned parent, though it was nice hearing him say that.Tapping me on the back “I mean like right now please, go on move your backside missy” “okay, okay I’m going geez”. Walking out the room and locking my door I watched as Scott winked at me and I went on my way to the hospital ward, completely forgetting I will still holding my boots instead of wearing them. The door was open walking in I could hear the radio playing and she was being spun by Patrick he was the in jeans and T-shirts and she was in a black jersey dress and sandals looking like gothic Grecian goddess her black hair flowing around her. She clocked me and smiled and Patrick turned his head smiling with a sheepish grin the way a teenager would if caught behind the bike sheds with his girlfriend “seems you have a patient, untill later my dear” he then kissed her hand and strutted out the room whilst she just beamed from ear to ear. “Hello Riley, I see your Uncle passed on the message, go find a bed to sit on and I will be right over and I will bring you a drink. Heading to the closest bed I could I went over dropped my boots to the floor and sat down kicking my legs about. She was practically gliding a cross the floor space with a tray in her hand, Tara definitely had a passion for life and it was very infectious and you found her passion would flow into you and you would find yourself joining in with her. “Right you should remember the drill from yesterday” pulling blue latex gloves on she proceeded to lift up my shirt and poked around “I can see fresh bruising, I take that is from last night, oh yes I heard about it, Josh already dished the dirt earlier the boy loves a good gossip” yeah that definitely sounded about right “I even heard you took out your first wolf, how are you feeling about all this as can’t be easy, and it looks like no new damage has been inflicted and let me just take a look at the shoulder, perfect the good news is you will be all good in the hood to have a shower, so mentally how are you”. “I’m fine just a lot to take in that’s all” she gave me that look only nurses could give when they smelled bull s**t “let’s go out on the terrace and talk, young lady and don’t worry you can have some of my baccy” she handed me my can of drink and got up and gestured her arm for me to follow her.

Walking across the room she opened the door and to the far left corner was a white wrought iron table with three chairs, there was slight tints of orange rust but aside from that they looked in immaculate condition looking ahead at the view again my gaze went straight to that willow tree. Funny how your eyes will go to seek out something you instantly recognise to seek comfort the sun was shining brightly and I could feel the rays heating my face, off in the distance you could hear birds chattering and then I think I heard Scott’s voice shouting “I dint know what game your up to mate, but I’m telling you now hands of her, she doesn’t need a head case like you, she needs family, so word of caution I’m watching you” then it went quiet as if the other person had walked off sadly I was unable to see who he had been warning so I could only assume it was Chris afterall the way he came across was quite dickish. “Riley have a seat I won’t bite” doing as instructed and taking a seat she sat across from me stretching out as if tried to take full advantage of her little sun trap she looked at me “You do realise myself and others are able to access all your public records right” “Okay, no I didn’t but I doubt you will discover many interesting things in there”. She gave me a look raising an eyebrow to say she knew something “I know everything dear, as in I know about the domestic abuse and I know about your baby” f**k why hadn’t I thought about that she dropped a massive hint right in front of me. I now feel as if I’m a deer caught in the headlights “Riley did you ever seek counselling, because the impression your giving is that your haven’t really told anyone, or really actually ever discussed it”.

I didn’t know what to say, couldn’t it just stay locked away never to be revisited again even now every time I think about it all I do is cry what if there is an expiration date on grieving, isn’t it better to just paint a face on and pretend everything is ok.”I’m not going to tell your uncle by the way, but I think you should, grief is a tremendous emotion to deal with and dealing with it alone is even worse, your always going to be treading water without friends and a wave will easily push you back down”. Grabbing my hand “You know none of it was your fault right, I mean all of it, Ben should be locked away for what he did and I know he’s never been found, Riley talk about it”. “Tara I really appreciate it honestly I do, but it’s hard ok and when I revisit it all I get so swept up in the pain, and I couldn’t stop him, I tried so many times to stop him and I’ve got people now telling me I’m some strong hunter person but I’m not if I was how come I couldn’t stop him” “ because you where afraid, thats why those men are like that, they make you believe you have no power so without faith in yourself how could you, I Worked in hospital wards before I moved here and it’s not the first time and it won’t be the last time some guy will do that to a women” “Atleast here, what you see is what you get the evil is clearly defined, out in the world people can hide there true nature, also you would have always had that inner strength but if your emotions are being pulled to tight one way your going to c***k and you won’t be able to fully harness the strength that is deep down inside of you”

“ Riley it’s good to talk to friends about this, no matter how many times you want to go over the same thing a true friend should listen and be there, no there is no time stamp on grief, and if your friends don’t come to support you then, they are not truly deserving of you”. I could no longer fight the tears, I have tried so hard not to let anyone see me cry, and now I’m here I am crying in front of someone I barely know “Please Riley, I beg you to tell your uncle and if you don’t want to do it alone I will be here every step of the way I’m not going to go anywhere”, “How can I tell him, he has already questioned me on this and said he’d give me time”. “Riley when it comes to trauma you can’t hide behind time, you need to deal with it head on please listen to me, it’s time to talk about it, if you want I can tell him but, I will only do that with your consent”, nodding my head in a submissive way I knew she was right and consented. The next thing I know is she has pulled out her phone and is texting who I can only assume is my Uncle.

She passed me her baccy and lighter went inside evidently waiting for Scott so mid tears I started to roll a smoke, I could not control my hands as they where shaking quite badly. Finally succeeding I walked across the terrace and looked of into the distance at the willow tree so upset and anxious for what I was about to face. It already felt like I had faced so much already surely the powers that be could be satisfied with that alone, it felt like I was standing there for all of eternity.

I knew Scott was there the moment I heard him shout “he did what to her, and what do you mean he’s never been found, I will find the little d**k then he will wish the police had found him, where is she now”. I dare not turn around I was hoping that maybe he would stay at a distance instead of seeing me with tears running freely down my face.

I was turned around and pulled into a bone crushing hug and finally the sobs broke free, I feel as if I have cried more here than anywhere else, his hand was cradling my head and he just rocked me back and forth. Not once did he say anything all the time I was crying, eventually the tears stopped falling and the sobbing had ceased he pushed my forward and looked into my face “Please don’t keep things like this from me, I know this is new to us both but just know I care, and Tara is right you can’t keep it all bottled up inside, it makes us reckless when we are facing werewolves also I’ve seen first hand what happens when you lock it up, you can’t move on from it and it will change who you are as a person and not for the better, so now that you know I know if you need to talk about I’m here” It’s all my fault the baby died, if I hadn’t shouted at him and threw him out they would be here, and I never got to hold them not even once, all I have is one picture of them”. “I know Riley, I know, it will be okay I promise you, sweetheart it wouldn’t have made a slight bit of difference if you had or hadn’t shouted at him, he would hit you before that, I wish I could say that we go out and fight the good fight riding the world of evil, but humanity can be the purest essence of evil child they have no reason or purpose to act in such a way but yet they do”. Lifting my chin up so I was holding his eye contact “Tara and myself think it might have turned out for the best you coming here, it gives you a fresh start child, but I need to know everything that happened and it may not be today but soon, now I’m just about go debrief from last night and don’t worry they won’t need to see you”

Watching as he walked away Tara then rejoined me and gave me a big hug “see that wasn’t as bad afterall, I’m very proud of you taking the first step forward on this dear”. She led me back to the table and I sat down completely forgetting my unopened can of drink. Reaching for it I just stared at the can “So as I was saying to your Uncle this maybe the best thing that happened to you in a bizarre kind of way” . “Being honest with you Tara I never really thought of that before, I was kind of more trying to get to grips with this whole werewolves exist staying out in the world is putting my life and others in danger”. Smiling at me “oh I hear that it was a massive adjustment for me when I found this out and that Patrick is a hunter, but to be perfectly honest with you I wouldn’t change it for the world, we have to beautiful boys from it and he’s the love of my life, even if he can be a s**t at times”. She definitely had no issues speaking her mind “hang on are you not a hunter” laughing “God no, Patrick came into the hospital I worked at many years ago with funnily enough suspected dog bite, the thing was after I treated him he vanished without a trace, and trying to look up his details as he needed antibiotics he didn’t exist on the system” closing her eyes if fondly recalling the past “Then we managed to bump into each other one Friday a month in a coffe shop that was stationed outside of the hospital I worked, then one day I was mugged in the street and he showed up and was my knight in shining armour even if it was slightly tainted the man can make a sailor blush with his language”. “Though it wasn’t till a year later that he told me who he truly was, and I never questioned it the man is not a liar then after that we got married and then this has been my life ever since”. Looking at her face you could see that she didn’t have any regrets with this, “Patrick can be a closed of man to any outlooker, but once you’ve earned his trust he will be loyal through and through, also how many women can say that there married to a fierce warrior man, who is also a blade smith, this stuff belongs in every cliché cheesey woman’s romance novel”. I had to laugh how she came to that thought process “what can I say I’m just a dirty girty at heart living the fairy tale of my choosing, let’s be honest we only get one shot in life so why should we be so restricted in certain areas of our lives, we have two sons twenty one and twenty three, there are located on a smaller site and are bladesmiths as well, come to think of it they have followed in there father’s footsteps in both career paths”

I loved how much conviction she had she was definitely a glass half full kind of person “what about you Riley, there must be so much more you then what I see before me. “Umm, not really given what you know I kinda became a shut in, I have or I suppose had a basic office job, but I was good at what I did, I love baking but I always struggled to fine me Niche in this world”

“I didn’t really go the college or University route, I suppose I never really felt any inspiration for further education”, “friends of mine ended up dropping out halfway through courses, or decided to go travelling the world, but I enjoyed being with my mum and dad just existing, no drama or mayhem “. “Well, there is one thing that I will say, you are now very much in the centre of chaos and mayhem, so if I where you I would take full advantage and let go of the reins, step out of your comfort zone after all you might learn a few things about yourself”. “Well atleast I now know two people to see if I need, wisdom and guidance” laughing she said “ ah by any chance would the other person be Akecheta, he’s a sweet lad very quiet, but you know what they say it’s always the quiet ones”. “Um Tara that usually means there the trouble makers” she was giggling away “nope they got that twisted, trust me the trouble makers are always the loud ones” I just nodded my head as if to say yeah okay then. We sat for a while longer whilst listening to her stories of injuries she has seen since coming to this place one I finished the my drink I headed upstairs looking forward to the refreshing shower I was now able to take.